Boat seam sealing method



May 19, 1931"'. A1 R. DE wlTT BOAT SEAM SEALING METHOD Filed Feb. 2 4, 1950 f @i @y JW i@ Patented May 19, i931 r ariege .ARTHUR E. DE /VTT, OF HARBGR SPRINGS, MCHIGAN, ASSIGNOB. OF ONE-HALF T0 Y CARL L. VRIGHT, 03 HARBOR SPRINGS, IMICHGAN i SEAIVI SEALTG IYEETHOD Application filed February 24, 1930. Serial No. 430,499.

The object of my invention is to provide a method for sealing boat seams, such method being simpleydurable and comparatively inexpensive to perform.

More particularly it is my object, in a boat having a plurality of planks, a stem, a stern or transom and wood members arranged in contact with each other to provide channeled seams between the various parts of the boa-t, these seams communicating with each other whereby a seam system results. v

A further object is toforce an elastic lill-y ing compound such as marine glue or the like into the seam system whereby the joints or seams between the members of the boat are eiiiciently sealed against the entrancey of water.

A further object is to provide a seam filling method' which may be quickly performed with .a minimum amount of time and labor and one which eliminates all undesirable messiness of sealing compound being squeezed out of the seams, which will later have to be scraped from the boatv y A further object is to provide channeled seams throughout the boat construction with a means for introducing a filling compound by force into one point of a seam with suflicient force to transmitthe filling compound throughout the seaml system whereby with a single operation, such a seam and all seams communicating therewith arek filled.

A further object is to provide aV sealing method for seams which when used will eliminate all possibility of leakage of the boat when the members vswell or shrink, depending on the changing environments to which the boat is subjected.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement 'and' combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,

and illustrated in the accompanying draw-y ings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a boat in which my seam lling method is used.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2 2 of Figure 1. v

Figure 2a is a sectional view on the line .2a-2a of Figure 2.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and illustrates one of the seams of the boat. Y ,j

Figures 4, 5,6, 7, 8 and 9 illustrate other types of seams which have been filled by my seam iilling method.

Figure l0 is a diagrammatic view showing one means for introducingthe filling compound under pressure into the seam system of the boat.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference character 10 to indicate the `stem post of a boat A. The reference numeral l2 indicates transoms in the stern of the boat. A partition 14 is illustrated spaced ahead of the transoms 12 and is connected with the'transoms by walls 16 which form a well 18 for the'receptien of an outboard motor. My sealing method, of course, is adaptable for the type ofv boat having a stern wall extending completely e across the rear end thereof and for other typesy of boats as well. v

The keel of the boat A is indicated at 20 and the ribs thereof at 22. kA plurality'of planks 24 are'secured to theoutside of the ribs 22, to the stem post 10 and to the transoms l2. The planks 24 are butt-jointed as Yindicate at26 in Figure 8 and one edge of each plank 24 is provided with a ra'bbet 28 whereby a channeled seam provided. There is also'a channeled seam between the stem post 10 and the planking 24 which may y be made by beveling the edge of the planking as indicated at 30 in Figure 2a. Ak channeled seam is also provided between the transoms 12 and the planking 24 by means of grooves 32 formed in the transoms.

The grooves 32 also makey a channeled seam between the walls 16and the transoms,` while channeled seams are provided between the walls 16 and the partitions 14 by grooves 34 formed in the partitions as in Figure 1.

Grdinarily the butt ointed planks 24 are held assembled together by means of battens 36 held, in place by screws 38. In the event ion that the planking is spliced a channeled seam is provided between the abutting ends of the spliced plank as shown in F igure 2 and the splice is covered with a splice block 42 held in position by screivs 44.

I have found it somewhat impractical to fill the entire system or" communicating seams With elastic compound from one opening, as the opening 46 in Figure 2, but have found it feasible to lill one longitudinal seam of the planking from such an opening and portions ot the seams 30, 32 and 40 which communicate therewith. To insure that only such portions ot the seam system shall be lilled, l provide Stoppers at various points, such as a strip of metal 48 or plugs 50 driven into position to block the channeled seams.

Gpen ends of the seams are then plugged Withplugs 52 through Which vent openings 54 extend, While vent openings 56 may be provided adjacent the Stoppers 48 and 50.

It will noiv be obvious that the system ot seams indicated by the reference characters a, o and c` may be filled from the oL iing 4G by screwing into such opening a sleeve 58 or other suitable fitting through which the compound GO may be introduced into the seam system under pressure. A block 50a, may he inserted Where desired to close up the end of a seam that communicates with other seams as shown at the le'lit hand side ot Figure 2.

In Figure l0 l have illustrated one Way of forcing the compound into the seams which consists of a storage tank G2 to contain the compound, which communicates by means of piping G4, a shut-oil valve and piping 68 with the fitting 58. Air or iluid under pressure may beintroducedinto the tank 62 Jfrom a supply pipe 70 through a valve 72. A pressure gauge 74 may be used to indicate the pressure exerted on the compound Within the storage tank 52. It will be obvious that other types of pressure producing devices could be utilized for forcing the compound into the seams.

lt is prei'erable betere inserting the {itting 58 into the opening 46 to paste a piece of paper or the like 7 6 over the opening to act a collector 'for any compound that might squeeze out around the litting 58 and to also paste collectors 78 over the vent openings 54 of the plugs 52 and over the vent openings 56. Y

The collectors 78 are perforated so that when the compound begins squeezing out oi the vent openings it will collect the colectors 7 8 instead oi getting on to the Wood of the boat construction from which it would have to be later scraped. it may here be mentioned that the purpose of the vent openings and 5G is to allow air to escape from the seam system and also to indicate when the seam is lle'd by the compound squeezing out ot' the vent openings, whereupon the vent may be plugged for thereafter retaining the compound in the seam system.

After the seam system a, b and 0 has been illed the plugs 48 and 50 may be removed, and the seam system Le and f may be simi- Vlarly iilled through the opening 46a after the Stoppers 48 and 50 have been removed. The opening left by these Stoppers will then serve as vent openings.

fis shown in Figure 4 the channeled seam may be made by beveling the edge ot the planking 24 as indicated at 8O and the battens 36 may be secured in position by clinch nails 82, or other suitable means.

fis shown in Figure 5 both the abutting 1}, 1.11- i. edges ol the planas 24 may oe iaobeted as indicated at 84, for forming channeled seams. ln this ligure l have illustrated the opening 46 as having a plug 86 driven therein after the litting 58 is removed. lWhere the planking 24 is exceptionally thin as shown in Figure G channeled sealing grooves 88 may be provined in the hatten 36. ln Figure 7 a single groove 90 is illustrated. in this figure the plug 86 is illustrated as being trimmed off flush with the betten 36 Which is always done after the plug is driven snugly into position.

ln Figure 8 central grooves 92 are cut in Vthe planks 24 to form the channel grooves for compound 60, While in Figure E) a tongue and groove joint is illustrated in which the groove 94 is deeper han the tongue 95 'for forming 'the channeled compound groove. ln the type ot construction shown in Figure i), battens ca he dispensed with.

Heretofore it has been customary to seal the joints in a boat as the building progresses by gluing the hatten to the planking whereupon tightening of the screws 88 caused the glue to squeeze out around the contacting edges of the bat-ten and it was then necessary to scrape this glue away before the boat Was finished With varnish or the like. This is a messy and time consuming job When compared With applicants Vseam sealing method, in Which the entire system oic seams is quickly sealed after the building of the boat has been completed. By using the collectors 76 and 78 none oic the compound gets on to the Wood of the boat and consequently the removal of any drops of compound is facilitated.

Any suitable compound may be used, such as Kuhls elastic seam compound or marine glue. rlhis material has the quality of being elastic so that when the boat seam swells or shrinks .the compound fills the seam at all times and hence this seam method is especially desirable for boats subjected to varying environments. Life boats, for instance are most of the time on the deck orn the ship and do not come in contact With Water. The

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planking Consequently shrinks and the boat leaks when placed in water, while with applicants sealing method the seams will be water tight at alltimes.

This seam method isy especially desirable on high speed motor boats where vibration, caused by waves hammering against the boat, tends to loosen the seams and causes them to leak. The seam method enables a fine cabinet-like joint between the planks and that isvery desirable in racing craft where the hull of the boat must be particularly wellv finished to reduce friction to a minimum; My convenient method of sealing the seams of the boat greatly facilitates the construction and quality of a boat and in general is much better' than the methods at present employed. After the elastic'compound has been forced into the seams, no further caulking is necessary. This is a difficulty encountered by other methods of construction'.

Sometimes it is desirable to use a some what solid compound which can be reduced to a liquid form by heating before being introduced into the seam system. In such event, hot air may first be introduced into the seam system for heating the wood adj a-l cent the seams, after which the hot compound can be forced through and will flow freely from the introduction opening to the far. ends of the seams.

This sealing method may be employed by arranging parts of the boat construction in slightly different ways from the arrangement shown on the drawings without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my inventionv and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalentspvhich may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

l. A boat seam sealing method comprising the construction of a boat with channeled seams, the forcing of heated air' thru thev seams and the forcing of a sealing compound into the seam at one point under sufficient pressure to force the compound throughout the length of the seam. i

2.' A boat seam sealing method comprising the construction of a boat with channeled intercommunicating seams, the forcing of heated air thru the seams and the subsequent forcing of a sealing compound reduced to a plastic state by heat at one point under sufficient pressure to force the compound throughout the length of said seam and the intercommunicating seams.

3. A boat seam sealing method comprisingvthe construction of a boat with channeled intercommunicating seams, the forcing of hot air thru the seams and the forcingy of sealing vcompound reduced to a plastic state by heat into a seam at one point under into a seamV si'ifiicient pressure to force the compound throughout'the'length of said seam and the intel"communicating seams, the openfends yof said seams being vented to permit expulsionV of heated air and of the compound from the.

are kcomvvpasting of collectors over the open ends of said seams, said collectors having openings registered with the channeled portions of the seams, the forcing of a sealing compound into one of the seams at one'p'oint under sufficient pressure to force the compound throughout the system of seams, the removal of said collectors after the system' ofseams has been .filled with compound andthe plug ging of the ends of the seams to prevent further escape of compound from the seams.

5. In a boat construction, ka plurality of members contacting with each other, battens covering the seams at the contacting points and channels between the members vand battens, said channels being filled with a sealing compound forced into them after the boat is built. v

6. In a boat construction, a plurality of members contacting with each other, battens covering the seams at the contacting points and channels between the members and the battens, said channels communicating with each other, and being filled with a sealing compound forced into the seams at one point after the boat is built, the force applied to the compound being sufficient to convey the compound thru the seam into which it is forced and into the communicating seams.

7. In a .boat construction, a plurality of members contacting with eachother, battens covering the seams at the contacting points, channels between the members and the battens, said channels being in communication with each other and terminating in open ends, said open ends being plugged and vented, means to force sealing compound into a channel at one point, through said channel and through the communicating channels to the plugged and vented ends thereof, said vented ends being thereafter* closed against the escape of thevcomp'ound from the channels. v

8. In a boat construction, a plurality of members in Contact with each other, battens over the seams between' the members, a chan# lnel seam system between said battens and said members, an inlet opening into one point of said channel system, outlet vent openings at the far ends of said channel system, means for forcing elastic sealing compound under pressure into said inlet opening for fillingV the ent-ire channel system with compound and means for thereafter plugging said inlet and outlet vent openings.

9. Aboatsezun sealing method Comprising the construction of a boat with a channeled, interconnnunieating senin system, the plugging off of a portion of Said syste1n,the forc- 5 ing of a sealing compound into said. portion of the system and the subsequent plugging 0H' of other portions of .the System and the forcing of sealing compound into said other portions.

Des Moines, Iowa, February 11,1930.

ARTHUR R. DE WITT. 

